Moonrise
by Amber Faulkner
Summary: Firestar is dead and his apprentice, Rosestar, is leader now. Emberwing, a ThunderClan queen, names one of her kits Starkit- this is about Starkit and what she achieves.
1. Chapter 1

1

Emberwing licked the tiny heads of her mewling kits with pride. Their father, Emberwing's mate, Iceheart, poked his white head through the brambles of the nursery.

"How are they doing?" He kept his voice low so as to not disturb the kits. His silver eyes shined like moonlight on the lake as he also licked the tops of their heads. "Do we have names yet?" He asked, looking up at Emberwing. Emberwing cocked her head as she looked at her kits. There were three kits- two toms and a she-cat. The first tom had bright, curious yellow eyes and a grey pelt streaked with white. He would be called Badgerkit. The second tom took after his father- with eyes like two small moons, and pelt like it was smothered with snow. Emberwing knew he had to be called Frostkit. But the she-cat - Emberwing knew she had to be called something special. The she-cat was, quite simply, beautiful. Emberwing didn't just think that because she was her kit- she just saw it. The kit's eyes were the deepest and brightest green Emberwing had ever seen- and they had a thin white ring all the way around them which made them look bigger and more imposing. The kit also seemed to mirror Silverpelt in her fur. She was the blackest black any cat could ever have seen- but was speckled and prickled all over with tiny, glowing pin-pricks of the purest white and silver. Emberwing got the feeling that if this kit was suspended in the sky along with the real stars no-one would ever see anything out of the ordinary- except those magnificent green eyes.

"Badgerkit, Frostkit," Emberwing pointed out the kits to Iceheart. "And- and-" she paused for a moment- searching for the perfect name. "And Starkit."


	2. Chapter 2

2

"Silence!" Rosestar yowled over the din of talking cats. Emberwing stood at the entrance to the nursery, a defiant look on her face. Rosestar had leaped on top of the Highrock. She stood confidently, thought Emberwing, but there was humbleness in that fiery posture. "All cats old enough to catch their own prey gather at the Highrock for a Clan meeting!" The whole clan was already there, though, and waiting with curious expressions on their faces- to see what would happen. Emberwing wasn't stupid- she knew why Rosestar had called the meeting. The whole Clan was in uproar about what she had named Starkit. They said it was disrespectful to StarClan- naming a mere kit after their warrior ancestors in Silverpelt. Emberwing looked up at Rosestar- she was (although she would never reveal it) nervous of what her leader would say.

"ThunderClan- you know of the joy in the nursery recently- Emberwing has given birth to three new kits." Rosestar drew a breath, surveying the cats looking up at her- hanging on her every word. "They are called Frostkit, Badgerkit and Starkit." An outbreak of muttering started as soon as Rosestar said "Starkit".

"She can't call her kit that!"

"It's disrespectful!"

Rosestar called for quiet. Emberwing saw uncertainty in her eyes and felt sorry for her- she had just become leader a moon ago, after the great Firestar had died of old age.

"I see no reason for Emberwing not to call her kit by that name." Rosestar's gaze swept across the sea of cats- daring any of them to protest. "Why would StarClan be angry because we named a kit after them? We love this kit- as we love StarClan. If this kit tries to the best of her ability to serve her Clan- then we have no problem."

"What if she doesn't?" A bold voice broke through the muttering. Thornbreath had pushed his way through the crowd and was looking insolently up at Rosestar. "What if she disobeys the warrior code?" As Rosestar looked down on the sharp-tongued warrior- Emberwing could tell she didn't like him one little bit. As Thornbreath spoke- Iceheart growled and stood, teeth bared, in-between Thornbreath and the nursery - claws sheathing and unsheathing against the dusty ground.

"Are you saying my kit will be disloyal?" Iceheart growled again. Thornbreath's lip curled.

"No-one is suggesting anything of the sort!" Rosestar yowled angrily above the fresh outbreak of muttering. "Thornbreath- no cat in their right mind could accuse a kit of being disloyal- it is ridiculous as well as unfair and insensitive." Emberwing shot a grateful glance at her for standing up for her litter. Rosestar caught the glance and Emberwing thought she saw the hint of a smile around her leader's muzzle. Rosestar raised her head nobly. "There is no more to discuss on this matter- if we start squabbling amongst ourselves we are no more than common kittypet mothers." And with that- Rosestar turned and disappeared into her den.

Emberwing breathed out- she hadn't realized but she had been holding her breath for just under a minute. Iceheart turned and put his muzzle in her flank, purring. He pulled back and smiled. Just then Badgerkit came tumbling out of the nursery, quickly followed by Starkit and Frostkit. The cats who were retreating to their dens or hunting duties smiled warmly. Even Thornbreath smiled a little in spite of himself.

"Come on- back to the nursery- all of you!" Emberwing nudged the mewling kits back into the safety of the brambles. Iceheart turned and went patrolling with Mintcloud- he flicked his tail in goodbye. Emberwing smiled, thinking of how Rosestar stood up for her that day. Then, from a particularly loud mewl from Badgerkit; she went back inside the nursery, into the shade of the brambles.


	3. Chapter 3

3

"Gotcha!" Badgerpaw jumped on top of Frostpaw- pinning him down to the frosty earth with a yowl of triumph.

"Not fair!" Frostpaw yowled back, shaking earth off of his white pelt. "You came up behind me!"

"A true warrior is ready for any attack." Recited Badgerpaw, clambering off of his brother. "Anyway- I would have got you if I'd walked up in front of you and rolled over!"

"Wanna bet?" Frostpaw grinned and crouched down- ready to pounce on Badgerpaw. Badgerpaw also tensed into a battle position- but before either of them could spring- a sharp voice cut through their concentration.

"Badgerpaw, Frostpaw- come over here!" Foxnose called to them. They bounded over quickly to the entrance of the warrior's den- where the red-furred warrior was standing.

"Aren't you two meant to be on hunting patrol with Cherryfoot?" Foxnose looked around as if Cherryfoot was going to jump out of a bush shouting "SURPRISE!"

"Sorry Foxnose- we couldn't find her." Said Badgerpaw. "We could go with _my _mentor though!" He added brightly, tail pricking up.

"Mapleleaf is already out on hunting patrol." Foxnose looked around the camp, searching for something they could do "Why don't you catch her up though- the Clan needs as much prey as it can get- especially during leaf-bare." Just before they went bounding out of the camp, their tails held high- Foxnose suddenly called out "Do you know where Starpaw's got to?" Without looking back, Badgerpaw yowled back,

"I think she went off on her own again! Check the area around the Moonpool!" Before disappearing into the shade of the forest.

Starpaw was going on another one of her wanders. She loved to walk around the territory- without purpose or destination. To just feel alive and well, she thought, was a gift better than any. Most cats are alive and well- they just didn't appreciate it until it was taken away from them.

Starpaw followed the stream up to the Moonpool- her favourite place to roam. Bounding happily along, she stopped at the waters edge and drank a little water. It was much fresher and cooler than the lake, and so much cleaner. Starpaw rested her head down to the ground, in respect of StarClan, and turned to head back to the camp. But suddenly she froze. A low, rumbling growl was echoing all around her. Starpaw crouched down, turning her head wildly around to see the source of the noise. Her breathing got shallower and she slowly backed away from- well she didn't know what. Her tail touched the surface of the Moonpool and she jumped at the sudden icy cold. She turned around to see what she expected to be the shimmering surface of the sacred pool- but instead she saw a face. Her heart skipped a beat and it was all she could do not the let out the screaming yowl of terror she could feel building in her throat. The cats face was not only the most beautiful face she had ever seen- but it was so full of loathing and hatred that Starpaw wanted to turn and run and never come back here. Starpaw could tell this cat was a she-cat. The cat was a pale, silvery blue and her eyes were like liquid stars- but they burned with the fire of the sun. She noticed that there were three ugly scar-lines running down the cat's muzzle- like her face had been raked by cats' claws. The face seemed to recognise Starpaw- though Starpaw had never seen this cat before in her life. Slowly, dreadfully, the she-cat in the water _smiled._


End file.
